If (theoretically) the great Temple was built again, would there be Kohanim pure enough (physically, etc.) to perform the worship and sacrifices?
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2What do you mean by 'pure enough'? Pure/impure is generally viewed as a spiritual state, yet in your parenthesis you write 'physically, etc'. Can you please elaborate?– Salmononius2Jan 31, 2016 at 1:16
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Why do you ask about "[i]f (theoretically) the great Temple [were] built again"? Why isn't that a practicality?– msh210 ♦Jan 31, 2016 at 3:07
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@msh i think he means were it built now– Double AA ♦Jan 31, 2016 at 3:53
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related judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/40106/…– mblochJan 31, 2016 at 4:49
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@DoubleAA you are correct--I meant if it was built today. Pure is spiritual, but it is also physical, based on a few material things mentioned below. Thank you for clarifying.– DigityogiJan 31, 2016 at 7:25
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1 Answer
The Raavad to Hilchos Nezirus 5(15) states that
הכהנים בזמן הזה טמאי מת הן
Kohanim in our time are impure with טומאת מת.
So, no there would not be Kohanim pure enough (physically, etc.) to ideally perform the worship and all the sacrifices.
But when all or most of the community are impure from contact with the dead, sacrifices with a fixed time are permitted טומאה הותרה בציבור, so in effect they would be pure enough for a great portion of the Temple service.
answered Jan 30, 2016 at 20:37
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Incidentally the raavad was talking about kohanim in his day and it's not clear he'd think we are all vadai temei met since nowadays people usually die in hospitals, not at home.– Double AA ♦Jan 31, 2016 at 14:15
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But even kohanim who are taamei met can purify themselves using the ashes from the red heifer– mblochJan 31, 2016 at 15:12
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@mbl if they have it then yes. But if the mikdash just appears in 5 minutes from now, we'll be in business right away, as far as purity of Kohanim is concerned. We won't have to wait a week to apply the ashes (assuming any are available)– Double AA ♦Jan 31, 2016 at 15:34